Improving wellbeing at work

Rosanna Hunt, Ph.D.

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Contact us for more information about Horizons’ wellbeing journey:rosanna.hunt@nhs.net

Wellbeing at work: combating stress

• Stress is one of the biggest causes of employee absence (CIPD, 2008)

• Organisations implementing major downsizing have 2.17 times the average sickness absence rates (DH)

• The average sickness absence rate for the NHS in England was 4.44% (Jan-Mar 2015) an increase from the same period in 2014. (HSCIC - http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB17903)

“The sympathetic nervous system functions like a gas pedal in a car. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, providing the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to perceived dangers. The parasympathetic nervous system acts like a brake. It promotes the “rest and digest” response that calms the body down after the danger has passed”

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

Stress is caused by over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system

The parameters of a 30-day team wellbeing improvement cycle

Each 30-day well-being action cycle should be:

• Evidence based• Simple

• Possible to implement from today• All team members agree to it

• Possible to track and measure its impact

What causes stress in your team?

Answers on a post-it (i.e. anonymous)

Categorise the post-its together

This will help to identify a simple action for the first 30-day improvement cycle

Meditate

AppreciateExercise

Evidence-based action to reduce stress

• Activate the parasympathetic nervous system

• Reduce multi-tasking and find focus

• Practice gratitude

• Exercise

• Relaxation Response Training reduces anxiety and depression (third-highest causes of US health costs after heart disease and cancer -which also are affected by stress).

• 4400 study participants had an average reduction of 43 percent in their use of health care services in the year after RRT

Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization. Stahl et al Oct 2015. Journal Plos One

Activate the parasympathetic nervous system

• Relaxation Response Training includes deep abdominal breathing, focus on a soothing word (such as “peace” or “calm”), visualization of tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer, yoga, and tai chi.

Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Reduce multi-tasking and find focus

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”

Theodore Roosevelt

Two key scientific benefits of meditation practice:

1. It strengthens the brain’s ability to move from one focus of attention to another

2. It improves the brain’s ability to resist distractionsRichard Davidson – Neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Gratitude improves physical health.- fewer aches and pains & feel healthier- more likely to take care of your health

Gratitude improves psychological health. - reduces toxic energy such as envy, frustration and regret- increases happiness and reduces depression Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., - research on gratitude and well-being

Gratitude improves self-esteem.- increases athlete’s self-esteem - an essential component of

optimal performance Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 2014- reduces social comparisons- able to appreciate – not envy other people’s successes

Gratitude increases mental strength. - reduces stress and increases capacity to overcome trauma http://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/#145a2cf56800

Gratitude

• Exercise, such as taking a brisk walk shortly after feeling stressed, not only deepens breathing but also helps relieve muscle tension.

• Walking meetings

• Give permission for staff to exercise during work time

Exercise“sitting is the new smoking” BBC 2016

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36411403#

Team well-being

Individual well-being

• A simple team action

• Possible to track daily & share

• Everyone agrees with the action and encourages others to do it

• We do the action in work-time

vs.

Team wellbeing is about building & maintaining wellbeing TOGETHER

If one person is not happy, harness that energy to create the focus for the next 30 day cycle

All team members should be involved in deciding the focus of the 30 day cycle.

Provide a social platform for team members to share ideas and inspiration throughout the 30 days